By Valentine Omondi
The planned auction of former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju’s 20-acre Entim Sidai Wellness Sanctuary in Karen failed to take place on Tuesday after none of the prospective buyers who turned up met the requirements to participate in the sale.
The auction had been scheduled for 11am by Garam Auctioneers following the lifting of court orders that had previously shielded the property from disposal.
Tuju was present at the property as the appointed time passed without the auction commencing, prompting him to question an official from Garam Auctioneers.
“You announced the auction to take place at 11am. We came to witness, we have not seen the auction taking place. What does that mean?” Tuju asked.
The auctioneer explained that the sale had not proceeded because none of the people who attended had met the requirements to qualify as bidders.
“The auction has not taken place because none of the people who attended qualified to be bidders. You’re supposed to have a deposit to show your seriousness,” the official said.
Tuju then asked whether the failure to attract a qualified bidder meant the auction had officially been closed or whether the exercise could resume later if another prospective buyer appeared.
The auctioneer said sufficient time had been given to prospective bidders and announced that the exercise would be closed.
“We have waited for bidders long enough and now we’re closing the auction,” the official said.
The failed auction marks the latest development in a years-long legal and financial dispute between Tuju, his companies and the East African Development Bank (EADB) over a loan facility advanced in 2015.
The court orders
Garam Auctioneers had advertised Entim Sidai for sale after temporary court protection previously granted to Tuju lapsed.
On May 21, 2026, the High Court granted Tuju temporary protection against the sale of the property pending determination of his dispute with EADB.
However, Justice Moses Ado attached conditions to the orders, requiring Tuju to deposit KSh50 million in a joint interest-earning account operated by lawyers representing the parties within 30 days.
He was also required to file and serve the record of his appeal within 60 days.
The court warned that failure to comply with either condition would automatically lift the orders stopping the disposal of the property.
The subsequent auction notice by Garam Auctioneers scheduled the sale of Entim Sidai for August 25, 2026.
Tuju has maintained that he complied with the KSh50 million requirement and has continued to challenge the attempted sale through ongoing court and tribunal proceedings.
What is Entim Sidai?
The property, identified as LR No. 11320/3, measures approximately 8.164 hectares, equivalent to about 20.2 acres.
According to the auction notice, the property features a colonial-style nine-bedroom residence, a two-bedroom bungalow, staff quarters, a lawn tennis court and other structures.
It also includes land earmarked for a proposed residential development comprising 12 standalone villas.
The property is among several Karen assets that became security for a loan obtained by Tuju through his company, Dari Limited.
The EADB dispute
EADB says it advanced Dari Limited a facility of approximately US$9.2 million in 2015, which was subsequently defaulted on.
The bank has pursued recovery of the outstanding amount, with interest and other charges substantially increasing the value of the debt.
The dispute has resulted in several legal battles in Kenya and the United Kingdom involving Tuju, his companies and the lender.
Several properties, including Entim Sidai, Tamarind Karen and Dari Business Park, have featured in the dispute.
In March 2026, the High Court struck out Tuju’s amended plaint and lifted interim orders that had restricted EADB and its agents from dealing with the contested properties.
The Court of Appeal had previously upheld the bank’s position, with the court observing that Tuju was “merely hanging onto technicalities” in seeking to avoid obligations arising from the guarantee.
Dari Business Park already sold
While Entim Sidai remains unsold following Tuesday’s failed auction, another property caught up in the dispute has already changed hands.
Dari Business Park was sold at auction, with the High Court later declining to grant orders stopping the transaction after the sale had been completed and ownership transferred.
Justice Moses Otieno held that once the auction was completed and the hammer fell, Tuju’s equity of redemption over the property had been extinguished.
The judge said an aggrieved chargor’s available remedy was therefore damages rather than reversal of the completed sale.
The ruling effectively closed another chapter in Tuju’s battle over the properties used as security for the EADB facility.
What next for Entim Sidai?
Tuesday’s failed auction leaves Entim Sidai in an uncertain position.
No qualified bidder emerged despite the property being formally advertised for sale, meaning ownership did not change hands during the scheduled exercise.
The lender continues to pursue recovery of the debt, while Tuju maintains that the attempted disposal of his properties is being challenged through legal and regulatory processes.
With Entim Sidai now having survived another attempt at disposal, the property remains at the centre of a dispute that has stretched for years and whose final outcome will ultimately depend on the courts and the enforcement processes that follow.
